Comic Relief: Over 拢34m raised to help those in need

Image caption, Joel Dommett, AJ Odudu, Paddy McGuiness, David Tennant and Zoe Ball all hosted this year's event

This year's Comic Relief has raised more 拢34m to support people struggling with the cost of living crisis, food poverty, mental health problems and homelessness in the UK and across the world.

The fundraiser is held every year, with celebrities and members of the public taking part in fun challenges and record attempts to raise cash.

Blue Peter broke the record for most pies thrown at different faces, including Newsround presenters Rick and De-Graft - reaching a target of 24!

On the night itself, the big highlight is the TV appeal - Red Nose Night for Comic Relief, full of funny performances and comedy sketches.

At the end of Friday night's show, the hosts announced the show had raised 拢31,952,141 and that total was updated overnight to 拢34.1m.

This year event was hosted by Joel Dommett, AJ Odudu, Paddy McGuiness, David Tennant and Zoe Ball.

It was also the first time Sir Lenny Henry, who helped found the event back in 1985 alongside film director Richard Curtis, wasn't there.

During the opening credits, he regenerated into former Doctor Who star David Tennant!

Image caption, Lenny Henry regenerated into Doctor Who star David Tennant who was on the the show's presenters

But he wasn't completely absent from the screen, appearing in a pre-recorded appeal asking people to support communities in need in the African continent.

He also showed a montage of clips from previous visits he'd made there with the charity.

What else happened during the show?

Performances

Singer Zara Larsson performed her song live from the studio in Salford Quays, while there was also an appearance from Kylie Minogue.

The cast of Mrs Doubtfire The Musical also delivered their first UK performance of Make Me A Woman from the new stage show.

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Singer Zara Larsson performing during the Red Nose Day night of TV for Comic Relief

Video appeal from Prince of Wales

The live TV event also included a video appeal from the Prince of Wales, in which he met homeless people helped by Comic Relief.

Prince William said his mother would be "disappointed" to see that the UK is still no further along the line in terms of tackling homelessness, and preventing it from happening.

Eurovision fun

Graham Norton, Lulu and last year's UK Eurovision entrant Sam Ryder took part in a sketch, playing a mock judging panel looking for the next UK star to enter the competition.

Auditions came from Jamie Dornan who had "lost his voice" and held up big cards with the words to Adele's Someone Like You and comedian Miranda Hart who sang and danced to Hero by Mariah Carey.

Image caption, Lulu, Graham Norton and Sam Ryder featured in a Eurovision sketch

David Walliams also auditioned by singing Eye of the Tiger by Survivor and hit his own "golden buzzer", while TV chef Gordan Ramsey tried to impress the judging panel by playing the recorder.

Eurovision fans got a special surprise, after two tickets for the Liverpool final were given away on the show by Eurovision presenters Scott Mills and Rylan Clark.

Plenty of jokes

Another sketch this year saw the UK's 'most serious people' telling jokes with news broadcasters and presenters Kay Burley, Kay Burley, Huw Edwards and Naga Munchetty, Susanna Reid, Piers Morgan and Richard Madeley all taking part.